FOLLOWING the latest development in a Cornish town’s battle to save its local shop, a town councillor has apologised to residents and called himself to blame for the upcoming sale of Stratton Stores.

Bude-Stratton town councillor, Kevin Colwill has issued a personal statement after the news that a buyer had been found for the shop at the heart of the Stratton community.

In the statement, he puts himself at the heart of the controversial sale, having been the one to initially proposed the purchase of 1 Lords Court.

He said: “My purpose in writing here is to address some misconceptions around the council's actions.

“It has been said that Bude-Stratton Town Council (BSTC) failed in its due diligence in the initial purchase. The reality is far more complex and nuanced.

“The shop owners came to BSTC looking for help when the then owners of the shop put it up for sale. BSTC discussed the matter on several occasions. Various possible avenues were suggested but all lead to dead ends.”

Cllr Colwill has claimed that despite advise being given to the council regarding the complexity of the project, it went ahead with the purchase in an effort to do well by the people of Stratton.

He continued: “It is true that paid officers of the council advised against purchase of the building due to the complexity of the project. The council, however, made no formal decision on any way forward and did not rule out buying the building.

“During this time the town council did not commission a full structural survey but did seek an independent valuation.

“After many months, the council were informed that the property was to be sold at auction. It has been suggested more recently that any new owner would have difficulty evicting the shop. The information BSTC received at the time was that the shop and post office were under threat.

“I, personally, took the view that the people of Stratton deserved a decision one way or the other. I felt it was wholly inappropriate for the sale to take place without the council decision on whether or not to bid.

“I proposed that the council bid at auction up to but not beyond the independent valuation. The council voted through that proposal”

Despite the situation, some three years later, Cllr Colwill says he stands by this decision, though regrets that the council did not push on with the renovation of the site.

“I do not regret that for a moment. My regret is that I was unable to capitalise on the initial overwhelmingly positive response to the purchase,” he continued.

“The council continued to seek options of selling the property to non-commercial group when, in my view, it should have pressed ahead in renovating the property itself.

“I regret and I apologise to the people of Stratton that I failed in persuading enough of my fellow councillors to embrace the renovation project and go forward with it.

“Sadly, there has been an inevitability about a sale for some time, certainly since the election in May 2025.”

Cllr Colwill has even invited residents to blame him.

“So, there you have it,” he said. “If you see this episode as a failure then I invite you to blame me.

“I believed the precise of Lords Court represented an opportunity to secure the shop and post office for the foreseeable future, to provide affordable housing and to maintain character of the historic town on Stratton.

“That may still happen under private ownership. Community ownership would have guaranteed it.”